The FamilySearch Memories mobile app introduces a third dimension to preserving valuable family moments. The newly released mobile app, available on iOS and Android, makes a bold move with a simple feature. Audio recordings now join documents, written stories, and photos as part of the modern-day family album online.I tried out the audio feature in Memories for the first time when . . .

my sleep-deprived father started telling stories about his life. He was having trouble fighting through his own laughter at the thought of what he was about to reveal. The result—a hilarious family moment that will now live on forever.The FamilySearch Memories feature can conveniently help capture memories that will never be lost or forgotten. It’s as if a radioactive elephant bit your smartphone, and it gained the superpower to remember everything.Consider all the great experiences now possible to be stored: Musical talents of a family member, the brilliantly placed pause by your seasoned family storytellers, or the unrestrained imagination of a child too young to write. Do your grandparents sing to you on your birthday? Record it. Preserving the laughter of a loved one is reason enough to have the FamilySearch Memories app ready and waiting to be used.Everything added to this mobile app will sync to your FamilySearch.org account. It’s one big loop of convenience. The audio feature available in Memories is a game changer.Create your own family podcast. Spend five minutes recording highlights from the week, month, or year with your family. A version of this served as an annual tradition in my home as a child.

During the 1980s, our family closed out each year by gathering around a tape recorder to give a “year in review”. These tapes were discovered only a few months ago. I wasn’t sure what to expect. While listening to this 30-year-old family account, several things stood out that surprised me. The timing in comments, feeling the patience from our parents, and the sugar-induced hyperactivity in the background was clear evidence to the handfuls of candy my five-year-old body secretly inhaled, moments before recording.Dynamics and chemistry unique to each family are difficult to put into words. Record it.Different tools provide interesting new layers for archiving special family moments. Enhance your family’s future by capturing fond experiences today, before they become the past.FUN FACT: This is an article that was never actually written. It was transcribed by speaking into the wonderful new mobile app, FamilySearch Memories.